The Republican journal., 1887-01-06
Maine Matters.
NEWS AND GOSSIP FROM ALL OVER THE STATE
TIE LOBSTER EISuERIES OE MAINE

MIR. W. 5. Trefethen, of Portland, contrib
utes to a recent issue of the Industrial Journal
timely article on 1.-The Lobster Fisheries"
He criticises the present law in relation to lob
ster fishing, and argues that it should be repeal
ed by Legislature, saying:
1.-The effect of this law has been disastrous
alike to the fishermen, the dealer, and the
State; for the closing of our business for six
weeks broke up our trade. demOraliZing the
market, SO that when we commenced fishing
again we We're at once Overstocked, causing the
loss of one million Holsters in two months
probably as many as We should have caught
and sold through close time - resulting in Il
loss to the State of fully fifty thousand dollars.
and besides keeping the market constantly
over>tockcd it caused what has been sold to be
sacrfced.''
The following statistics of the lobster fisher
les of Maine, carefully prepared by Mr.. Trefe-
then, will show that we are the posseSsors of Il
valuable industry, which should be rightly pro-
tected by the commonwealth:
''Ihe average catch of Holsters on the Maine
coast has been fifteen millions yearly. for thirty
years or some aOO, 900 900 during that period.
About 2O0, 900 900 have been used by the factor
les, ut an average cost of one cent each. Doubt
less they have paid 81 ,0O0, 600 to the fishermen
In the same time the local trade has used 200.-
100000 large at cents EACH and 100, ,000. 900
small at cent each. paying S9,00O.O00, making
total of Sl1 900, 900 to the fishermen. So it is
safe to estimate that the money paid for can
ming, and the employment Of a large number of
>mack-men, the value of the lobster fishery of
Maine has reached more than $500, 900 annually.
Why the prohibtory laws. Where made.
And what has been their object:
CONVICT LABOR IN THE STATE PRISON.
On the subject of convict labor Warden Bean
reports somewhat at length. lie says: The
average yearly product of the harness and car
riage department from 1888 to 1856 inclusive
was, harnesses, S21 ,60l .S3; carriages. S44.4O2.
81; total, $12.OO4.47. The census Of 1850 shows
that there We're S1,S4S horses owned in the
State. Assumed that the annual cost of pro-
viding and keeping in repair the horse furnish
ngs is so to each horse. and the annual sum of
SS7s. .4So is expended. OF this the prison pro
duct amounts to 3l4 per cent Call the yearly
costs of vehicles of all kinds to be s':5 to each
horse and 9le annual expenditure is s.. l96. 300.
of which the annual prison product is 2.03 per
cent or grand average of 2.34 per cent of all
classes of prison work. Another fact should
be remembered. There are twenty-cight citi-
Zens constantly employed as overseerS. guards
and instructors, representing family popula-
ton of one hundred or more. lfnot 80 employ
ed. these persons. selected for their aptitude,
fitness and skill, would find employment out
side in the same kindred manufacturers.
This should also he taken into account. The
warden believes that labor is necessary at the
prison.
THE TEN-IIOUR LAW.
ly pledged to the enactment of a tcn-hour law
this winter, and of course the pledge will he
s;crclly fulfilled. Indeed, the bill has already
been drafted and Mr.. Looney will place it be-
fore the House at an early day. Like the Me-
Gilicuddv bill of last session il applies only to
women and minors, but unlike that measure,
its provisions extend not alone to factories but
to workshops and stores, which must prove Il
great boon to the >tore-ooy> and female clerks
whose days service often extends from six
O'Clock in the morning until ten in the evening,
a very great hardship in most instances There
are eNi%cncies, however, where additional work
for additional pay seems Wc-nigh indi>pen-
sable. and the bill, 1t seems to us, should be so
framed as to permit employer and employed
to amicably arrange among themselves a> to
such additional service. The law to he prac-
ticablr, must be sufficiently flexible to provide
for ordinary business contingencies. 5ridyton
News.
SEARCHING FOR \ PERFECT MINISTER.
That the Maine pioneers understood the
disadvantages likely to accrue to a parish bv
too long search after perfect minister is
shown by a sentence in Il petition for a town
meeting in Bluehll in 1875. to consider the
question of settling pastor i'll that place. 4
copy of the petition is given in the last number
of the Bangor Historical MAGAZINE and the
principal reason urged for action is is follows:
''lt must evidently appear to every one. that
the longer this business is postponed, and the
greater number of different preachers the town
may employ, the greater will be the division
among them until each man may wish 10 have
his particular minister, ana by that means
have no one" This danger was happily avert
ed by the ordination of Rev. Jonathan Fisher.
who agreed to come for $500 Il year, Il barn
4ON3O feet, fifteen cords of hard wood and an
agreement OF the parish to fall and clear five
acres OF land on the minister's lot. yearly. He
was also to have Il five weeks annual vacation.
WORTHY MASTER ROBES ADDRESS.
The Boston Globe had the following pleas
ant and complilncntry words TO say about Coy.
Robes address, delivered at the late mcctin"
of the State Grange: Governor Robbie render
ed real service to the state hen lie delivered
his annual address a> master of The state
Grange. Governor Robbie is thoroughly con-
versant with the business of the state. an, has
Il more widely extended acquaintance among
all CLASSES of our citizens than any other man
can boast Of and when he speaks in regard to
Name he speaks is one having authority 50 to
do. He proved in his address before the grang-
cr> that Maine i going forward not backward:
that progress and Improvement is the rule and
not the exception. and that here the labor of
the toer i, rewarded better than in other
states and the advantages are apparently great
er. The thanks of all good citizens on. lit to be
returned to Governor Robbie for this timely and
much needed document.
RAILROAD ITEMS.
Mr.. Frank b. Hubbard. formerly of Oakland
has been appointed frci@h agent at Watcr>lc
by Mr.. Tucker in place of the late +. G. Lowe.
Mr.. Hubbard has been connected with the
Maine Central for about four wears and is well
and fay orably known to the officials and employ
es. His promotion is the result of faithful SER
vice and meets with popular approval along the
line.
The kcnneber ccunty commissioners have
appraised the lan:i belonging to Frazier Gilman
selected for the site of railroad shops in Water
vile, and condemned by the county commits
sioncrs, 1T 5000.
Detective IIcald of the Maine Central has
detected the fellow who has placed oI,>t tructinn>
on the track in Fallnng'alc. lie has ob>trllcl-
ed the track nine times within Il year Mr..
llead prononcCs him crank
Athens has called town meeting to vote ON
loanin" credit to aid the Somerset X Waldo
railroad.
PROHIBITION IN AUGUSTA.
Leading citizens OF the capital city petition
the Mayor and Aldermen rs follows:
"Wc, the undersigned, legal voters in Angus
alta. hereby petition you to enforce the law
against the sale of intoxicating drinks, with the
same Nlgor and impartialitN with which YOU do
any other law, and for this purpose to appoint
such additional police force :> may be necessary.
In this important work for the public welfare,
we pledge to You our earnest cooperation and
support"
The petition is headed by the veteran prohi-
bition>t Ex-Governor A. z. Morrill,. and is sign
ed by most of the leading citizens of the city
without regard to political OF religious atlilia-
tions. This is good move and must have Il
good effect. Other cities and villages would do
we'll to emulate this example. The Prohibitorv
law is among the statutes of the State and
should be enforced. and. when and where the
citizens are interested and ready to work. it
will be. somerset Reporter
pKol4,SEDHEDIt t'TIo\ OF t,I sIoNs nl s.rI,u'rs